WVU Drops Series at Kansas State

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The WVU baseball team fell 4-3 to Kansas State on Saturday afternoon in the Big 12 opening series finale at Tointon Family Stadium.

After winning game one, 13-2, the Mountaineers (8-11, 1-2 Big 12) dropped a pair of one-run games to fall 1-2 overall in the series.

“We came out today and scored three in the first and I think everybody started feeling pretty good with what they had going on and we just let up a little offensively,” coach Randy Mazey says. “We played some bad defense and let them right back into the game and they scored three.”

WVU’s best chance of a comeback came in the eighth inning when designated hitter Matt Frazer led off with a triple down the right field line. Frazer, however, was stranded after a fly out, line out and strikeout by third baseman Ryan Tuntland, first baseman Ryan McBroom and second baseman Billy Fleming, respectively, to end the threat.

K-State’s Jake Matthys came on in relief after the Frazer triple and pitched 2.0 perfect innings, striking out three batters. Starter Matt Wivinis picked up his third win of the season, going 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

WVU got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. After center fielder Bobby Boyd led the game off with a walk, four-consecutive batters reached base. Left fielder Jacob Rice singled to shortstop and Frazer was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Tuntland, who hit a two-RBI single through the right side, scoring Boyd and Rice. McBroom drove in the third run of the frame with a single to the third base, plating Frazer from third.

Kansas State’s biggest offensive inning came in the bottom of the second and was keyed by three runs on five singles to tie the game at 3-3. Blair DeBord, Clayton Dalrymple and Ross Kivett all drove in one run and the damage could have continued, but WVU starter John Means struck out Jared King with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Wildcats took their first lead of the game in the fifth inning as RJ Santigate was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in Shane Conlon. Right-handed pitcher Dan Dierdorff came on in relief of Means induced a one-out bases loaded double play to get out of the jam.

Means (2-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Dierdorff pitched 3.2 innings of two-hit relief, walking two and striking out one.

Frazer and Rice had two hits apiece to lead the WVU offensive charge that registered seven hits, while DeBord and Tanner Witt had two hits apiece for Kansas State.

WVU will travel to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday to take on Marshall at 6 p.m. The game will be carried by WVUsports.com and select affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network, with Morgantown affiliate WAJR 1140 AM serving as the flagship station. Fans can access a link to live stats at WVUsports.com.